Kimono
1860-1880 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The motif of carp and swirling water that decorates this kimono is an auspicious one. It derives from a Chinese legend in which any fish able to leap the waterfall is transformed into a dragon, the story being a metaphor for achievement and advancement in life. The design is executed with long supplementary wefts, a weaving technique that is unusual in kimono fabric. According to the person who gave this kimono to the V&A, it once belonged to the famous kabuki theatre actor Ichikawa Danjuro IX.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silk |
| Brief description | Kimono of brocade silk, Japan, 1860-1880 |
| Physical description | Kimono of grey-green silk woven with a design of gold carp leaping over waterfalls of white and blue. The technique, with long floating supplementary wefts, is unusual for kimono fabric. Lining of dark blue silk. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by T.B. Clarke-Thornhill |
| Object history | This garment was gifted to the V&A by T. B. Clarke-Thornhill, who served as a British diplomat in Japan in the 1880s. He stated that the kimono had belonged to the famous kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro IX (1838-1903). |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The motif of carp and swirling water that decorates this kimono is an auspicious one. It derives from a Chinese legend in which any fish able to leap the waterfall is transformed into a dragon, the story being a metaphor for achievement and advancement in life. The design is executed with long supplementary wefts, a weaving technique that is unusual in kimono fabric. According to the person who gave this kimono to the V&A, it once belonged to the famous kabuki theatre actor Ichikawa Danjuro IX. |
| Bibliographic reference | Rout, Josephine, Japanese Dress in Detail, London: Thames & Hudson, 2020 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.65-1915 |
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| Record created | August 2, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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